ABOUT S.A.M.B.A

Mission

Southland Arts, Municipalities, and Business Alliance (S.A.M.B.A.) is an economic and community development organization. Its mission is to build stronger communities, neighborhoods, and economies by uniting wide-ranging cultural resources with an expanding business community to enrich the lives of the diverse population of Chicago's southern suburbs.

Vision

We believe that the South Suburbs represent the heart of Mid-America with family friendly villages, an under-recognized but strong education system, award-winning park districts with vast recreational opportunities, a vibrant arts scene, affordable housing, convenient shopping and transportation, welcoming public spaces, and perhaps most distinctively, diverse and engaged communities.

Goals

To promote the South Suburbs as a vibrant family-friendly arts destination.

To attract and welcome new businesses and the creative class to our region.

To foster creativity and active participation in building the community

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For information about S.A.M.B.A. contact Chuck Sabey at 708.747.0580 or csabey@vopf.com.

For festival marketing and publicity contact Sharon Morrissey at 708.235.2812 or sbanaszak@govst.edu.

The South Suburban Small Business Association (SSSBA)

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"We are thrilled to be working as an organized creative force, in conjunction with the Southland Convention & Visitors Bureau and sponsors, to bring this important festival to Chicago Southland residents and tourists. I have a long-standing belief in the power of arts and business collaborations to transform communities into vibrant economic and cultural centers," says Eugene Varnado, founder and President of the South Suburban Small Business Association (SSSBA). "We are excited to see the impact of the festival on local restaurants, businesses and arts participation." SSSBA's Business/Arts Cooperative's mission to generate synergy between business and arts led to the formation of S.A.M.B.A.